3,800 bus drivers strike in Oslo and Viken

On Sunday morning, 3,800 bus drivers in Oslo and Viken went on strike after negotiations interrupted four overtime hours Sunday night.

The 3,800 drivers went on strike at 6 a.m. Sunday.

Yrkestrafikkforbundet, Fellesforbundet, Norsk Jernbaneforbund and Fagforbundet believe that employers have been reluctant to comply with them.

– We are disappointed that the employer does not understand that bus drivers have lagged behind in terms of pay. We have a prior agreement that the wage should be close to the industrial worker’s wage, and then we get an offer that goes in the wrong direction. It is a breach of the promise, union secretary Dag Einar Sivertsen said in Fellesforbundet after the breach was a fact.

Greater distance

Workers ‘organizations believe that the gap to industrial workers’ wages has grown ever greater in recent years.

Yrkestrafikkforbundet union leader Jim Klungnes believes employers have used the corona pandemic as a pretext in negotiations.

– The bus companies are not in crisis and almost no driver has been fired. However, drivers will have to settle once again for the crumbs. We are not in that, says Klungnes.

In addition to the wage demand, the four workers’ organizations that have called members on strike are demanding that the security checks on buses be part of the working day.

– We ask the employers to think and come back with an acceptable offer so that we can end the strike quickly and without unnecessarily affecting the innocent. As we see it, we had no choice but to go on strike, says Klungnes.

– Very high demands

– The employee side came to mediation with very high demands, which we unfortunately did not have a chance to meet, says CEO Jon H. Stordrange at NHO Transport.

He believes that fewer travelers and lower ticket revenues have led to a difficult and uncertain situation.

– The most important thing for us is to avoid layoffs, secure jobs and maintain good bus service for passengers. So we don’t have the opportunity to give more than other groups have received, says Stordrange.

– Distance too great

Ombudsman Mats Wilhelm Ruland says that the distance between the parties was so great that he was unable to present any proposed solution.

– There was some movement between the parties, but not enough to reach an agreement, he says.

In the first strike, 3,800 bus drivers were removed in Oslo and Viken, of which about half are organized in the Professional Traffic Association.

If the conflict continues and escalates, nearly 12,000 bus drivers could go on strike across the country.

Major consequences

Ruter claims that the strike means that all city and regional buses in the Ruter area will be canceled. Buses to the Brakar and Østfold public transport are also affected. Brakar claims that some of the school kisses are kept.

Vy claims that all scheduled traffic and school transportation will stop. Also, the Vys bus for train services will be affected. For the Vy trains, a strike will also affect the Østfold line, the main line and the Drammen line, where there is work on Sunday morning and therefore alternative transport, Vy writes on its website.

End point in Østfold

Vy drivers use Østfold public transport, which means that all Østfold buses also stop. In that case, all public transport service will cease until the end of the strike. It also includes school buses, Østfold says in public transport.

Airport buses, as well as school buses and service lines in other parts of Viken, are also affected by the strike.